Celta Vigo vs Ath Bilbao prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-01-28 17:30.
Celta Vigo’s precarious position in La Liga (LL) needs serious attention, with their 1-0 loss to Mallorca last time out firmly entrenching them in the relegation battle. Problems all over the park plague Carlos Carvalhal’s men, but failing to score two or more goals in each of their last 14 top-flight matches hasn’t complimented their leaky defence, as only basement club Elche have conceded more than Celta’s 29 this season ahead of the round.
The Sky Blues return to the Estadio de BalaĂdos needing a change in fortune, but after seeing three 1-1 draws and two 2-1 losses in their last five home matches, the home faithful might not be so optimistic. The arrival of visitors Athletic Bilbao will only accentuate the nerves, as Celta have only tasted success twice in the last 13 home LL H2H encounters (D4, L7).
Athletic aren’t in the greatest form either as they await their first league win since the FIFA World Cup hiatus (D2, L2), driven by their inability to score in three of those matches. European aspirations will start to fade should this form continue, but if Athletic can reproduce their Copa del Ray performances, where they’ve won all of their four matches since the restart, then they’ll be a serious threat.
The latest of those triumphs was a 3-1 away win against Valencia in midweek, but it is their troublesome trend of failing to win any of their last six LL assignments on the road that’ll worry manager Ernesto Valverde (D3, L3). Valverde may hope to draw on his fabulous personal H2H record then, as his 26 managerial meetings against Celta have only ever ended in defeat on four occasions (W15, D7).
Players to watch: Celta’s Iago Aspas is just two goals away from becoming the only player to score 10+ goals in each of the last eight LL seasons. For Athletic, Iñaki Williams scored the lone goal in this fixture last season, and with four of his league strikes this season serving as match openers, he’ll hope to threaten once again.
Hot stat: Celta are winless in their seven LL matches this season when considered the betting underdogs (D2, L5).